In the five months after Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces moved into the Solomon Islands, intending to cut off the critical American supply line to Australia. When they began to construct an airfield on Guadalcanal in July 1942, the Americans captured the almost completed airfield for their own strategic use. The Japanese Army countered by sending a reinforced battalion under the command of Col. Kiyonao Ichiki. During the initial battle on the night of August 20-21, 1942, Marines wiped out Ichiki's men who, imbued with "victory fever," had expected a quick and easy victory.

"You shitheads are here to learn to fight!" -- "Vandegrift, I have some very disconcerting news" -- "I'm beginning to doubt whether there's a Jap on the whole damned island" -- "May I retake Tulagi too?" -- "The bastards are in the trees!" -- "Was this going to be the real test?" -- "F -- k Babe Ruth!" -- "Crying, praying, and cursing all at the same time" -- "Goddamn, they got me in the eyes!" -- "We aren't going to let those people lay up there all day" -- Epilogue -- Appendix A. Officers, 1st Marine Regiment, Combat Group B (Reinforced), Tenaru River Subsector -- Appendix B. Officers, 1st Marine Regiment, Combat Group B (Reinforced), South Subsector -- Appendix C. US Marine casualties, Battle of the Tenaru, August 21, 1942 -- Appendix D. Officers and staff, First Echelon, Ichiki Detachment.